Armageddon Outta Here - The World of Skulduggery Pleasant

One amazing new novella. Three gripping new stories. In the ultimate story collection. We all know that doors are for people with no imagination, so smash the glass, climb through the window, and enter the awesome world of Skulduggery Pleasant with this ultimate story collection. For the first time, every Skulduggery Pleasant short story - plus The End of the World, the World Book Day novelette - is collected into one magnificent volume.

The Maleficent Seven (From the World of Skulduggery Pleasant)

A brilliant, hilarious one-off novel in the Skulduggery Pleasant universe, from number-one-bestselling author Derek LandyThis time, the bad guys take the stage.Tanith Low, now possessed by a remnant, recruits a gang of villains - many of whom will be familiar from previous Skulduggery adventures - in order to track down and steal the four God-Killer level weapons that could hurt Darquesse when she eventually emerges. Also on the trail of the weapons is a secret group of Sanctuary sorcerers, and doing his best to keep up and keep Tanith alive is one Mister Ghastly Bespoke.

Demon Road

The epic new thriller begins. The creator of the number-one best-selling Skulduggery Pleasant series returns with the story of a girl on the run from everything she loves... and the monsters that await her. For anyone who ever thought their parents were monsters... Amber Lamont is a normal 16-year-old. Smart but insecure, she spends most of her time online, where she can avoid her beautiful, aloof parents and their weird friends.

Magnus Chase and the Hammer of Thor

Thor's hammer is missing again. The thunder god has a disturbing habit of misplacing his weapon - the mightiest force in the Nine Worlds. But this time the hammer isn't just lost; it has fallen into enemy hands. If Magnus Chase and his friends can't retrieve the hammer quickly, the mortal worlds will be defenseless against an onslaught of giants. Ragnarok will begin.

The Spook's Apprentice: Wardstone Chronicles 1

A terrifying series about a young boy training to be an exorcist. Thomas Ward is the seventh son of a seventh son and has been apprenticed to the local Spook. The job is hard, the Spook is distant and many apprentices have failed before Thomas. Somehow Thomas must learn how to exorcise ghosts, contain witches and bind boggarts. But when he is tricked into freeing Mother Malkin, the most evil witch in the County, the horror begins...

The Screaming Staircase: Lockwood & Co., Book 1

For more than fifty years, the country has been affected by a horrifying epidemic of ghosts. A number of Psychic Investigations Agencies have sprung up to destroy the dangerous apparitions. Lucy Carlyle, a talented young agent, arrives in London hoping for a notable career. Instead she finds herself joining the smallest most ramshackle agency in the city, run by the charismatic Anthony Lockwood.

Artemis Fowl

Twelve-year-old villain, Artemis Fowl, is the most ingenious criminal mastermind in history. His bold and daring plan is to hold a leprechaun to ransom. But he's taking on more than he bargained for when he kidnaps Captain Holly Short of the LEPrecon (Lower Elements Police Reconnaissance Unit). For a start, leprechaun technology is more advanced than our own. Add to that the fact that Holly is a true heroine and that her senior officer Commander Root will stop at nothing to get her back and you've got the mother of all sieges brewing!

The Hidden Oracle: The Trials of Apollo, Book One

Penguin presents the unabridged, downloadable audiobook edition of The Hidden Oracle: The Trials of Apollo, Book One, by Rick Riordan, read by Robbie Daymond. How do you punish an immortal? By making him human. After angering his father, Zeus, the god Apollo is cast down from Olympus. Weak and disorientated, he lands in New York City as a regular teenage boy.

In the Labyrinth of Drakes

Even those who take no interest in the field of dragon naturalism have heard of Lady Trent's expedition to the inhospitable deserts of Akhia. Here Lady Trent relates how she acquired her position with the Royal Scirling Army, how foreign saboteurs imperilled both her work and her well-being and how her determined pursuit of knowledge took her into the deepest reaches of the Labyrinth of Drakes, where the chance actions of a dragon sets the stage for her greatest achievement yet....

Crimes Against Magic: The Hellequin Chronicles, Book 1

How do you keep the people you care about safe from enemies you can't remember? Ten years ago, Nate Garrett awoke on a cold warehouse floor with no memory of his past and the only clues to his identity were a piece of paper with his name on it and a propensity toward magic. Now he's a powerful sorcerer and a successful thief for hire, but it turns out that those who stole his memories aren't done with him yet. When they cause a job to go bad, threatening a sixteen-year-old girl, Nate swears to protect her.

Midnight for Charlie Bone: Children of the Red King #1

The first installment of the international best-selling series from Jenny Nimmo starring Charlie Bone. Since his father died, Charlie Bone has lived with his mother and her mother in the house of his other grandmother, Grandma Bone. Looking at a picture of a couple with a baby and a cat, he suddenly discovers he can hear their voices. Although he tries to hide his new gift, Grandma Bone and her scary sisters soon find out and send him to Bloor's Academy.

Cherub: The Recruit

A terrorist doesn't let strangers in her flat because they might be undercover police or intelligence agents, but her children bring their mates home and they run all over the place. The terrorist doesn't know that a kid has bugged every room in her house, cloned the hard drive on her PC, and copied all the numbers in her phone book. The kid works for Cherub. Cherub agents are aged between 10 and 17. They live in the real world, slipping under adult radar and getting information that sends criminals and terrorists to jail.

The Lightning Thief: Percy Jackson, Book 1

Look, I didn't want to be a half-blood. I never asked to be the son of a Greek God. I was just a normal kid, going to school, playing basketball, skateboarding. The usual. Until I accidentally vaporized my maths teacher. That's when things started really going wrong. Now I spend my time fighting with swords, battling monsters with my friends, and generally trying to stay alive. This is the one where Zeus, God of the Sky, thinks I've stolen his lightning bolt - and making Zeus angry is a very bad idea.

Raven's Gate

Matt has always known he has unusual powers. Raised in foster care, he is sent to Yorkshire on a rehabilitation programme, only to find himself in the midst of sinister goings-on. Matt investigates and uncovers a terrible secret - eight guardians are protecting the world from the Old Ones, beings banished long ago by five children. But devil worshippers want to let the Old Ones back in....

Magnus Chase and the Sword of Summer: Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard, Book One

Magnus Chase has always been a troubled kid. Since his mother's mysterious death, he's lived alone on the streets of Boston, surviving by his wits. One day he's tracked down by an uncle he's never met - who tells him an impossible secret: Magnus is the son of a Norse god. The Viking myths are true. The gods of Asgard are preparing for war. Trolls, giants and worse monsters are stirring for doomsday. To prevent Ragnarok, Magnus must search the Nine Worlds for a weapon that has been lost for thousands of years.

Battlemage

"I can command storms, summon fire, and unmake stone. Animals have nothing interesting to say, and no one can see the future because it has not been written," growled Balfruss. "It's dangerous to meddle with things you don't understand." When you fight magic with magic, nothing is certain. Balfruss is a battlemage, one of a vanishing breed, sworn to fight and die for a country that fears and despises him.

The Red Pyramid: The Kane Chronicles, Book 1

Carter and Sadie Kane's dad is a brilliant Egyptologist with a secret plan that goes horribly wrong. An explosion shatters the ancient Rosetta stone and unleashes Set, the evil god of chaos. Set imprisons Dr Kane in a golden coffin and Carter and Sadie must run for their lives. To save their dad, they embark on a terrifying quest from Cairo to Paris to the American Southwest and discover the truth about their family's connection to the House of Life: an Egyptian temple of magic that has existed for thousands of years.

Publisher's Summary

Stephanie's uncle Gordon is a writer of horror fiction. But when he dies and leaves her his estate, Stephanie learns that, while he may have written horror, it certainly wasn't fiction. Pursued by evil forces intent on recovering a mysterious key, Stephanie finds help from an unusual source, the wisecracking skeleton of a dead wizard.

When all hell breaks loose, it's lucky for Skulduggery that he's already dead. Though he's about to discover that being a skeleton doesn't stop you from being tortured, if the torturer is determined enough. And if there's anything Skulduggery hates, it's torture. Will evil win the day? Will Stephanie and Skulduggery stop bickering long enough to stop it? One thing's for sure: evil won't know what's hit it.

Listen to a free interview with Derek Landy. Simply Click here to download.

Picked this up on a whim and have been so impressed by it that I've now bought all the others in the series. There are elements of Potter, Dresden and Artimis Fowl but only in the very losest terms....there is a young hero, magic is involved and it's based in Ireland. The rest is all Landy's own and feels it.

The world is realised beautifully with the old device of a magic world hiding behind or 'real' one given a more believable feel than the fantasical Potter. The characters are each distinct from each other and you'll grow to love the banter between Stephanie and Skulduggery with some proper laugh out loud moments - none of the dialogue feels forced or there for pure plot line purposes. A very natural feel is evident throughout.

Special mention must be made for the narration by Rupert Degas which is probably the best I've ever heard in an audio book. He manages to convey the warmth and humour wonderfully and his pacing and style allows the listener to conjure up the images perfectly.

Suffice to say that if you'd bought the phyiscal book it would now have it's own honoured place on your favourite shelf.

Excellent story that is brilliantly narrated. The whole family listened to it when we were on holiday last year (aged 7 - 42) and everyone couldn't wait to get back into the car after a day out to find out what happened next! A great tale for everyone to enjoy, even the adults.

My 12 year old son recommended this to me and the whole series to date is the best I've read/heard in this genre - there are proper laugh out loud moments (not something I normally do), the plot is good but the best thing for me was the witty and wry banter between skulduggery and stephanie. The narrator is the best I've ever heard too - in a league of his own (and it was such a shame in the last book when he changed) . I can't wait for the next one in the series.

Masterfully read and excellent entertainment. I picked this book in the hope that it really would work for all ages, because I wanted an interesting but cheering listen with nothing too horrible. It is exactly that and I can't wait for my next credit to get the next in the series. Rupert Degas is one of the best narrators I have ever heard.

I read this as research because I'm working with a young author at the moment. I thought it was great - really inventive with some amazing character names and a wonderful good vs evil plot. Skulduggery and his young sidekick (I won't give away her name) are wonderfully written characters - warm, funny and believable. The narration was top-notch too (it can so often let down an otherwise good story).

The ending sets up the series action extremely well. I'm looking forward to discovering more of the clever Mr Landy's work!

There's plenty to like about this audio book aimed at the young adult market. It has evil villains, magic, exciting battles and chases with plenty of unusual characters, all brought to life by the excellent narration.

Rupert Degas voice is well suited for the male characters; deep, gravelly and spooky.I felt he was a bit weaker with the female characters in places but as he did a good job with Stephanie this did not detract from the audio book. Also loved the 'haunted house' instrumental music used in between chapters, a nice touch.

An audio book that will be greatly enjoyed by the younger audience but can also be enjoyed by the young at heart.

Most series start off with one strong book and have the tendency to dwindle in later books. That is not the case when it comes to the Skulduggery Pleasant series, which only gets better. I enjoyed this book although it is not as good as the later ones. However, the characters must be introduced and that required some scene setting.

The narrator does a very good job and brings the book to life. I highly recommend it and strongly advise to download the later books as well.

I chose this for the whole family (Mum and Dad, daughter 14 and son 11) to listen to on a long journey and it was a hit. The narrator is incredibly good which helped lift an otherwise slightly shallow plot. It certainly gave us lots of laughs and kept us sane for several hours in a small car!

The novel is a good novel, albeit it starts off a bit slowly and predictively. But once it gets off, it is quite interesting, with Skullduggery Pleasant providing a lot of smart remarks and replies. It almost feels like you are reading a movie script rather than a novel with the amount of action involved.
On the good side, it has quite a few twists and turns, and the writer has used a lot of formulae (but not often used ones). The only criticism is that, it uses about the "true name" and "taken name" concept which has been mentioned in quite a few novels, whether it is Eragon series or Barthemeus the djinn's serries.

Apart from that, its a good read if you like Buffy the Vampire slayer type stuff (with a bit more humour and wit).

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

A User

06/06/07

Overall

"Funny & Entertaining"

I had a few odd looks from my family as I burst out laughing while listening to this book.
Rupert Degas has a brilliant voice that brought all the characters uniquely to life.
Thoroughly enjoyable!

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Benbarian

Johannesburg, South Africa

04/03/13

Overall

Performance

Story

"Not my cup o tea, didn't think it baby young adult"

This is certainly entertaining, and the narration is great. But I'd rather read a Pratchett. All the bits of this individually make for entertainment, it's just that all together they don't stand out as anything vaguely new or novel. Everything has been done before, better. Didn't finish it.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

edel

Ireland

08/07/12

Overall

Performance

Story

"Skullduggery Pleasant"

Would you consider the audio edition of Skulduggery Pleasant to be better than the print version?

Yes I do. Having all the characters played out with individual voices make the story come alive .

What did you like best about this story?

My favourite part was all the witty one liners, they were very funny and I did laugh listening to them. The arguments between Skullduggery and Stephanie were also hilarious.

What about Rupert Degas’s performance did you like?

He was excellent. His voice was perfect for Skullduggery.. It had the right amount of sarcasm and experience.. It was easy to imagine him as the older wiser person in their friendship. His voice could be very creepy at times which set the scene on more then one occasion. At other times his voice was very droll. Perfect for who he was playing. I was not sure at the beginning if I would like a man reading the parts of Stephanie but it really worked!, he was great at it.After a while I forgot that it was a man reading female voices.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It made me laugh. The banter between the two main characters was played out very well and I would easily buy more books in the series just from listening to this book.

Any additional comments?

A wonderful series for the young or the young at heart who like adventure and bad guys that get what is coming to them.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Deborah

Australia

25/06/12

Overall

Performance

Story

"Gripping and fascinating audio book"

What did you love best about Skulduggery Pleasant?

The characters, storyline and narration kept me listening and entertained!

What did you like best about this story?

The constant complications and resolutions kept me engaged and fascinated.

What about Rupert Degas’s performance did you like?

Rupert's ability to adopt and adapt the various characters' voices was sensational and gripping. What a terrific narrator. Really made the story for me.!

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The meeting of Skulduggery and the key character at the outset will remain a powerful one for me.

Any additional comments?

Best ever audio book I've listened to thus far.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Ric

26/03/11

Overall

"Brilliant"

So I am a bit of a fan of teenage fiction but the genre can be a bit of a risk. I had looked at this series of books in the stores for a long time and have been tempted but not purchased one. Then I listened to a preview of this on Audible.com ~~ well I was "sold" instantly. Rupert Degas has done one of the best narration jobs I have ever heard. The way he has bought the characters to life is nothing short of amazing. Rupert will always be the voice of Skulduggery for me now and I am glad of that.

The story is fast paced and captivating. The action at times is non-stop and it is hard to "put it down" or in the case of an audiobook "turn it off". There is a couple of common fantasy themes as mentioned in the review above (notably the use of names to give power to people) but this is by no means detracting in my opinion but rather adds to the validity of a magic realm by having cross-over with other authors. The characters in the novel are the heart of the work and Derek Landy has demonstrated he is a master at character development.

I look forward to listening to the whole series.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Ragnheiður

05/04/16

Overall

Performance

Story

"Amazing in every way"

The narrator was amazing- I especially enjoyed the voice of Skulduggery. Like Stephanie, I could listen to that voice all day.

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

Sarah Kay

23/09/15

Overall

Performance

Story

"best novel ever"

It is so cool it is a book of adventure and magic and wonder which makes it wonderful

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

Kerry Brennan

23/04/14

Overall

Performance

Story

"Very Funny!"

Would you consider the audio edition of Skulduggery Pleasant to be better than the print version?

absolutely! Rupert Degas` performance is truly wonderful - I`d give him six stars. His ability to express the humor and his repertoire of voices and accents bring the characters to life

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

laugh and laugh and laugh

Any additional comments?

I think its classified young adults, my husband and I are old adults and we`ve enjoyed the book immensely.

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

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